Velocipede.



No. 784,973. I PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

E. BENTLEY.

VELOGIPEDE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25,1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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a SHEETSSHEET 2.

Iii-BENTLEY.

VELOGIPEDE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 25,1904.

Wilnaaoua PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

E. BENTLEY.

VELOGIPEDE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25,1904.

SHEET 3.

3 SHEETS- Patented March 14, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE.

EDDIE BENTLEY, OF LINCOLN, ILLINOIS.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,973, dated March 14, 1905.

Application filed June 25, 1904. $e1'ial No. 214,151.

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDDIE BENTLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Logan and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Veloeipedes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in velocipedes, and more particularly to mechanism for propelling the same; and its object is to provide means whereby the gear of the propelling mechanisn can be quickly changed from a high to a low gear, or vice versa, without stopping the movement of the machine.

A further object is to provide a novel arrangement of cones for the bearings of the driving mechanism, said cones being independently adjustable.

A further object is to employ mechanism whereby the velocipede can move forward without rotating the crank-hangers and their shaft, thereby permitting coasting.

Vith the above and other objects in view the invention consists of a velocipede having sprockets of different sizes secured to and revoluble with the drive-wheel of the velocipede, and on each of these sprockets is arranged a chain which extends ever larger or drive sprockets. The two drive-sprockets are revolubly mounted upon opposite ends of a shaft which is journaled in the frame of the velocipede, and a clutch is interposed between the hubs of the two sprockets and is adapted to be shifted into engagement with either of them by means of simple mechanism provided for that purpose.

The invention also consists of a crank-shaft of novel form upon which the clutch is slidably mounted, but with which it rotates. Cones are adjustably mounted on this crankshaft and form bearings for balls on which the hubs of the sprockets are mounted.

The invention also consists of the further novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of my invention, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of a bicycle constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section through the drive-sprockets and the adjoining portions of the bicycle. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 d, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5, Fig. 2,. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the clutch detached. Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevation of the upper portion of the operating-rod and its guide. Fig. 8 is asection through the guide, showing the rod in engagement therewith. Fig. 9 is a rear elevation of one of the outer cones of the bearings. Fig. 10 is an elevation of the locking-ring of said cone, and Fig. 11 is an elevation of one of the bearing-cups detached.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, 1 is the frame of a bicycle of the safety type. The same is provided with a drive-wheel 2, having sprockets 3 and 4 of different sizes secured to its hub and revoluble therewith. These sprockets are arranged at opposite ends of the hub, and on each of them is mounted a chain 5. A boxing or sleeve 6 is arranged at the lower end of the middle post 7 of the frame 1, as ordinarily, and the ends of this boxing are internally screw-threaded for the reception of flanged rings 8, which form cups for balls 9. These cups have threads on the outer faces of the flanges thereof for engaging the threads in the boxing 6, and notches 10 are formed in an annular flange 10, which extends from the threaded face of the flange of the cup.

Extending through and spaced a short distance from each of thecups 8 is a hub 11, which is formed integral with a ring 12, adapted to overlap the outer ends of the cups 8. The ends of the hubs 11 are internally enlarged, as shown at 13, for the reception of balls 1 1 and 15. A sprocket 16 is fastened in any suitable manner to one face of each of the rings 12 and is adapted to rotate therewith, and on each of these sprockets is located one of the chains 5, before referred to. A shaft 17 extends through hubs 11, and that portion thereof between the hubs is smooth and of greater diameter than the end portions of the shaft. These end portions are provided with screwthreads 18 and 19 at their outer and inner ends, respectively, and cones 9.0 are mounted on the threads 19 and are adapted to abut against the shoulders 21, formed upon the shaft at theinner ends of the end portions thereof. These cones 2O bear on the balls 1a. A longitudinally-extending groove 22 extends along each of the threaded portions 18, and on these threads are arranged cones 23, which are adapted to bear upon the balls 15. (Jones 23 are secured in place by means of rings 24:, which litupon the shaft 17 and have lugs 25 extending inwardly and engaging the grooves 22. Each of these rings also has a lug 26 upon its inner face which is adapted to project into any one of a series of recesses 27, formed upon the adjoining face of the cone 23. Nuts 28, arranged on the threads 18, serve to hold the rings A clamped upon the cones 23, and it will thus be seen that after the cones have once been adjusted to their proper positions and the rings 24: clamped thereupon and into engagement therewith it becomes impossible for the cones to move out of their adjusted positions.

Feathers 29 are arranged upon the central or larger portion of shaft 17 and form guides for a ,clutch sleeve 30, which is slidably mounted on shaft 17 and has oppositely-extending teeth 31, which are similar to and are adapted to engage teeth 32, which are formed at the inner ends of the hubs 11. An annular groove 3;) is formed about the center of the sleeve, and projecting thereinto are rollers 3a, which are secured to opposite ends of a shifting-fork 35. This yoke has an L-shaped arm 36 extending therefrom and projecting into the post 7, before referred to, where it is pivoted upon a bolt 37 and extends laterally through a slot 38, formed within said post. An operating-rod 39 is pivoted to the projecting end of arm 36 and extends longitudinally of post 7 and through a sleeve 40, formed by a strip 41, which is secured in any suitable manner about the upper portion of post 7. This sleeve has an aperture 42 therein for the reception of a lug 43, which is formed integral with rod 39, and a spring 4&1 serves to hold the lug in said aperture or above or below the sleeve if the lug has been moved to either of those positions. A handle 45 is arranged at the upper end of rod 39, so as to permit the same to be readily grasped by the rider. #16 are secured to the ends of shaft 17 and are provided with pedals 47, as ordinarily.

Cones 18 are arranged at the inner faces of the rings 12 and form bearings for the balls 9 within cups 8.

\Vhen the lug 4:3 is in position in aperture 42, clutch 30 is held by arm 36 and rod 39 upon the center of shaft 17 and out of engagement with the teeth 32 of the two hubs 11. While the parts are in this position the bicycle can be moved forward without rotating the shaft 17 and the hangers 46, and the machine can therefore be used for coasting. Should it be desired to connect the shaft 17 Cranks with one of the sprockets 16, so as to permit the bicycle to be propelled by rotating cranks 46, the rod 39 should be pressed backward to disengage lug 43 from sleeve 40 and either drawn upward or moved downward. hen the rod is moved upward until the lug 13 engages over the upper edge of the sleeve 40, the clutch will be shifted to the right, thus bringing into action the smaller sprocket 3 upon the drive-wheel hub and its companion sprocket 5 and, high speed will be obtained, while, on the contrary, if the rod be depressed until the lug 43 engages beneath the lower edge of sleeve 40 the clutch will be moved to the left and larger sprocket 1 on the drive-wheel hub and its companion sprocket 5 will be brought into action and a lower speed result. This will cause arm 36 to swing on its pivot and slide the clutch 30 into engagement with the teeth 32 of one of the hubs 11. Said hub will therefore be caused to rotate with shaft 17. By gearing the bicycle to two different speeds it will be seen that clutch 30 can be shifted so as to lock either of the sprockets 16 upon the shaft 17. As will be obvious, this can be done without stopping the machine, and therefore a low gear can be utilized for climbing hills and a high gear while riding upon level ground or down an incline. By disengaging the clutch from both hubs coasting upon the bicycle is permitted. The spring 14 holds the lug in engagement with the sleeve 4L0 at all times, and therefore the clutch cannot become accidentally displaced after having been adjusted to its proper position.

By providing the novel arrangement of cones hereinbefore described the bearings can be quickly and accurately adjusted, and one or more of the cones can be removed in the event of wear or defects.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of my invention; but I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is' 1. A bicycle provided with a tubular seatpost having a longitudinal slot formed in its side wall, a hub journaled beneath the seatpost and composed of a pair of sections provided at their inner ends with teeth, sprockets fixedly carried by the outer ends of the hub-sections, a crank-shaft rotatively mounted within the hub, a clutch member slidably mounted upon the shaft between the hub-sections and having teeth adapted to engage the teeth on the sections, a yoke pivoted within the seat-post to swing in a vertical plane, said yoke being operatively engaged with the clutch member and having an arm extended outward through the slot in the post, an op- IIO erating-rod connected with the yoke-arm and operable for moving the clutch into engagement with either hub-section or to an immediate non-engaging position, and means for locking the rod against movement.

2. A bicycle provided with a tubular seatpost having a longitudinal slot formed in its side wall, a tubular hub journaled beneath the seat-post and composed of a pair of sections having teeth at their inner ends, sprockets fixedly carried by the hub-sections, a crankshaft journaled for rotation in the hub and provided with longitudinal splines, a clutch member slidably disposed upon the shaft between the hub-sections and having grooves to receive the splines, and an encircling peripheral groove, said clutch member also having teeth adapted for engagement with the teeth on the hub-sections, a yoke pivoted within the tubular post and having an arm extended through the slot in the latter, said yoke beingadapted to straddle the clutch member and carrying antifriction-rollers designed for travel within the peripheral groove, an operating-rod pivotally connected with the yokearm and movable for shifting the yoke into engagement with either of the hub-sections or to an intermediate non-engaging position, a sleeve embracing the seat-post and having a perforated guide for the reception of the rod, a lug carried by the rod and adapted to seat within the perforation in the guide or above or below the latter for maintaining the clutch member in its various positions, and a spring Within the guide adapted to act on the rod for maintaining the lug in engagement with the guide.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDDIE BENTLEY.

WVitnesses:

JOHN S. HALLER, R. O. HALLER. 

